The Marlins are willing to trade catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. He adds that the Cardinals could be willing to move a catcher as well, most likely Pedro Pagés or Iván Herrera. Feinsand lists the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, White Sox, Rangers and Dodgers as clubs in the market for help behind the plate.
Hicks, 27, should be very attractive as a trade candidate. A Rule 5 pick out of the Tigers system, he stuck on the Miami roster throughout the 2025 season. He provided almost league average offense with competent defense at first base and behind the plate. That gave the Marlins his full rights and he has taken a step forward this season. He has a .279/.358/.438 line and 118 wRC+, indicating he has been 18% better than league average offensively.
The Marlins certainly don’t need to trade him. Hicks is controllable for four more seasons after this one. He isn’t slated to qualify for arbitration until after next season. The Fish are within two games of a playoff spot and don’t need to act as sellers.
There are also arguments to consider it. Joe Mack came into the season as one of the top catching prospects in the league. Through 62 big league games, he has really strong marks for his glovework and a .234/.288/.429 batting line that is a bit below league average. If Mack is the catcher of the future, then Hicks may be limited to a part-time catching role as he looks for playing time at first base and in the designated hitter slot. Kyle Stowers is currently getting close to everyday reps at first.
If another club view Hicks as a viable everyday catcher, then he may be more valuable to that other club than he is to the Marlins. If another club is willing to put something of value on the table, it could make sense for Miami to take it, or at least listen.
It could also make sense with Miami’s in-between position this year. Not so long ago, they were red hot and looked like clear buyers. A 12-game losing streak dropped them down to a borderline area. They probably don’t want to punt the season but also may not be inclined to make bold moves that would require them to subtract from their farm system. Trading Hicks could still leave them in a good position behind the plate with Mack, Brian Navarreto and Agustín Ramírez all on the roster, while upgrading elsewhere.
Looking at the broader market, some recent developments have impacted things. Shea Langeliers was a speculative trade candidate but he just had meniscus surgery and is likely done for the year. Injuries to Kyle Teel, Will Smith and Danny Jansen have drawn the White Sox, Dodgers and Rangers to the table, whereas they previously seemed set behind the plate.
The market has some speculative guys available but there are question marks with each. The Twins could trade Ryan Jeffers but they are hanging around the race and might keep him. Even if they trade him, he is a rental and wouldn’t give an acquiring club a long-term solution. Tyler Stephenson and Jonah Heim are other rentals who should be available but they have mixed track records. Hunter Goodman and Francisco Alvarez are each controlled for another three seasons but their respective clubs might hold onto them because of that control. Perhaps the Marlins could take advantage if there are several clubs making calls but struggling to find solutions.
The St. Louis catching situation has been a long time coming and decisions will have to be made soon. As Feinsand mentions, they have prospects Rainiel Rodriguez at Double-A and Leo Bernal at Triple-A. Rodriguez in particular seems likely to be the catcher of the future. He’s a consensus top 25 prospect in the league and already has 52 Double-A games under his belt. He’ll be at Triple-A soon and pushing for a big league opportunity.
In the majors, the Cards already have Pagés, Herrera and Jimmy Crooks. With Bernal and Rodriguez coming, they can make some guys available and still be in a good spot. Herrera is a great hitter but his defense is a concern, particularly with the running game. He has allowed opponents to steal 102 bases in his career while only throwing out seven runners. Since the start of 2025, he has nabbed just one out of 43 attempted thefts. It’s doubtful clubs view him as an everyday catcher but he could be a part-time backstop with a big bat. He is controlled for three seasons beyond this one. Pagés is the opposite, as a light-hitting, glove-first guy. He has four seasons of club control beyond this one.
Like the Marlins, the Cardinals aren’t out of the playoff race. They came into the year rebuilding but are just 1.5 games back of a postseason spot right now. Trading a big league catcher could be a way of bolstering another part of the roster without touching the farm system they have been focused on strengthening.
As for the suitors, as mentioned, the White Sox, Dodgers and Rangers recently jumped in due to the injuries to Teel, Smith and Jansen. The Yankees have been looking for help behind the plate for a while due to the struggles of Austin Wells, getting frequently connected to Jeffers. The Red Sox haven’t received much from Connor Wong or Carlos Narváez this year. Chris Cotillo of MassLive mentioned today that they could look for help behind the plate. The Rays have been looking for catching help for years, including this season.
Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images
